Vacuum pump apparatuses are being widely used as one of facilities for manufacturing semiconductors, liquid crystals, solar panels, light emitting diodes (LEDs), etc. In processes for manufacturing these products, a vacuum pump is connected to a vacuum chamber and a process gas introduced into the vacuum chamber is evacuated by the vacuum pump. In some cases, the gas evacuated by the vacuum pump is a gas containing a silane gas (SiH4) or a halogen-based gas (e.g., NF3, ClF3, SF6, CHF3, C2F6 or CF4). This gas is a hazardous and combustible or persistent gas and cannot be released as it is into the atmosphere. Conventionally, in the vacuum pump apparatus, therefore, a abatement apparatus for performing processing for making the evacuated gas harmless is provided in a stage following the vacuum pump.
In some cases, a material solidified, for example, by a reaction in the vacuum chamber or a material which can solidify easily is mixed as a reaction byproduct in the process gas discharged from the vacuum pump. If such a product enters the abatement apparatus, there is a possibility of clogging in piping or in the abatement apparatus or a reduction in processing efficiency of the abatement apparatus. In some cases, therefore, a foreign substance removal mechanism for removing such a foreign substance is provided between the vacuum pump apparatus and the abatement apparatus.
For example, a filter, a trap or the like can be used as such a foreign substance removal mechanism. A filter or a trap of a simple construction is capable of removing a foreign substance but needs periodic maintenance such as filter interchange. A fan scrubber having a fan for agitating a gas, a motor for driving the fan, a nozzle for jetting a liquid is also known as a foreign substance removal mechanism. A fan scrubber captures a foreign substance with a liquid jetted from the nozzle.